The only areas where increases were reported were drug paraphernalia and felonious assault cases.

Felony assaults jumped from 29 incidents in 2011 to 56 reports the following year – a 93 percent increase.

“I read all the reports and most of the felony assault cases are domestic violence situations where somebody threw or threatened another person with something” that was available in the home, Barner said.

The city police department has made changes over the past year to show a greater presence in neighborhoods and respond to crime hot spots in the city.

City police now routinely target problem areas where there are repeated incidents or calls, as a crime prevention measure. They also do daily checks each morning at all schools in the city, Barner said.

“We also started working very closely with our Neighborhood Watch program,” he said.

The department is also working more closely with the Michigan Department of Corrections to monitor parolees living in the city. Similarly, police are working more with Oakland County authorities to check on offenders who are on probation and live in Hazel Park.

“We’re keeping parolees and probationers monitored and go by (their homes) unannounced every several weeks to check on them,” Barner said.

The MDOC began working more closely with community police departments to check on parolees after two parole absconders – Alan Wood and Tonia Watson – were arrested for the Nov. 20, 2011, brutal murder of Nancy Daly, 80, in Royal Oak. Both suspects were subsequently convicted.

Barner said the department’s efforts over the past year have likely played a role in suppressing the crime rate, along with crime trends in general and cooperation with MDOC and county probation officials.

“I hope we can continue this trend,” he said. “I think it’s a matter of staying on top of things and being proactive when you notice new crime trends in the community.”